"What is it Otis?" Lex asked, more than slightly annoyed at Otis' tendency to walk in on just the wrong moments.
Otis shrinks under Lex's frustration. "Remember how you said that Cadmus' research would have helped with you little dilemma?"
Tess shot him a glare that he couldn't see, which only helped to frustrate her. "I'm a dilemma?" she asked pointedly at Lex, who winced immediately after Otis' use of the word. He shot Otis a 'why would you do that' look. Otis tried a smile and shrugged.
"Tess, you're not the dilemma. It's this," he motioned at the two of them, "that' she issue."
Tess raised her eyebrows. "That no one else can see you, I mean." Tess rolled her eyes as Lex face-palmed at Otis. "What have you got, Otis?" His annoyance shone through in his voice.
"Cadmus was/is still operational. A company called Apokolips had been funding them until six months ago. Now, they're still looking for someone to fund them. They've been living off of the funds from Apokolips since then but they're and they're desperate," Otis said quickly
Tess spoke, "Cadmus might have something. They brought me back last year when I was...dead."
"Why do you die so much?" Lex asked, incredulously. "And how do you manage to never actually die?"
Tess shrugged. "It's a hazard of the job."
"Not for most." He turned his attention back to Otis. "Buy them, then set up a meeting. I need everything they have on starting up a heart."
Finally, Otis had managed to do something productive and bought Cadmus, negotiating under Lex. Lex pulled up to Cadmus the next day. "You ready?"
"As ready as I'm going to be," she said. It didn't take a genius to see she didn't like this place, regardless of the fact that they brought her back to life but Lex chose not to pursue. She'd just get angry at him and he just didn't know how to deal with an angry Tess. If he's going to give Oliver any credit, it's that he must know how to defuse her.
Lex got out of the car and looked around at the bright blue sky and crisp air that had the unwanted tinge of chemicals. He pushed through the big glass doors where he was greeted by an uneasy scientist, clearly here to tell him something and drew the short straw. "Hello, Mr. Luthor."
"Well, he looks excited to see you," Tess jabbed playfully. Lex shot her a look out of the corner of his eye.
"Mr. Luthor, you are aware that the papers haven't been signed yet, correct?" The scientist attempted to flash a smile but it came out as more of a grimace. Tess smirked making Lex bite back a laugh.
"My assistant told me that the deal's as good as done," Lex argued.
"It was, until two other businesses took an interest," the scientist explained uneasily.
"Leeeeeeex!" came the drawn out greeting from behind said man.
Tess shut her eyes in frustration. "Anyone but him."
"You've got to be kidding me," mumbled Lex. Lex hates Oliver Queen. A lot. But even his hatred for Oliver Queen pales in comparison to the amount he despises Bruce Wayne. Absolute playboy, insolent businessman with an astoundingly good Vice President, and arrogant, oh so arrogant. It also didn't help that the last few times he saw him, he asked about his "hot sister", whom, for some reason, could not remember was supposedly dead.
Bruce clapped the bald man on the back. "How ya been, buddy?" he said with a charming smile. "How's your sister?" Tess face palmed.
"She's dead, Bruce."
Bruce's demeanor changed slightly. "I'm sorry for your loss." Lex fought the urge to face-palm as his sister was currently doing.
"Sometimes I find it hard to believe one person can be so stupid," Tess said, staring perplexed at Bruce.
Lex turned his attention back to the scientist. "You said two companies."
"Lex? Bruce?" Him, of all people. He had to deal with both of them? He looked at his sister who was smirking intently.
Oliver came and stood next to Lex. He whispered in his ear, "How is she?"
"A lot better before Bruce showed up."
"Look at that," Bruce interjected, "the gang's all here." His face scrunched up. "Oliver don't you have a hot partner that's supposed to be here?"
Oliver's jaw clenched and his anger was boiling, Tess was utterly bewildered and just looked at Bruce, shocked that someone's intelligence could really be that low, while Lex was counting to ten, regaining his patience. "Bruce, that's my sister."
"Oh! The dead one!" Oliver looked around, like he was searching for something to hit. Tess smiled at his frustration. He never did have much patience.
"What are you doing here?" Oliver asked tersely.
"Same as you guys, I bet." Bruce shrugged.
"Definitely not."
"Yeah, no," Oliver and Lex each answered at the same time.
"Then what are you here for?" Bruce asked, curiously.
"Sirs," a man in a suit came out to greet the group, "would you like to start the tour?"
Tess cocked her head to the side, "Should I be insulted?" Lex tried not to laugh, making him sound like an elephant.
Everyone looked at him for an explanation. He searched for words but came out with no suitable answer. Now it was Tess' turn to laugh. Lex now looked annoyed and was death glaring thin air. "Right," Oliver broke the silence, "let's start the tour."
An hour and a half later, Lex was glad he had no hair to start with, otherwise he would have pulled it out and Oliver had clenched and uncle chef his fist so much that it was sore. Bruce, however, had a wide smile. "Mr. Luthor," the lab assistant called for his attention.
"Yes?"
"Can we show you something?" The assistant seemed worried, uneasy.
"I don't see why not," Lex answered, following the assistant.
"A few months ago Tess Mercer came to us, clearly dying. She told us to freeze her body until you or Mr. Queen came to us," the assistant explained.
"Give me a moment," he ordered. The assistant, slightly frightened, left not willing to risk making a bad impression on her possible new boss. He turned to his sister, whose face was a blank mask. "What was your plan?" His inexplicable anger welling up in his stomach. "Hope I would figure it out? Or were you planning on doing it yourself?"
"Lex, I understand that you're angry. But I don't remember this," she explained, trying to talk down her angry brother. It didn't make sense, though. Why didn't she have this memory?
"The toxin," Lex realized. "We are sharing a brain. Why wouldn't it affect you too?"
"Why those memories in particular?" She questioned.
"Because you were already exposed to the toxin." She could have her body back. She could live.
"I'll get my scientists on this." Tess nodded, lost in thought. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy."
She gave a halfhearted smile, hesitant. "I am. Can we...?" She chuckled. "I guess I should say you-" Tess began rambling. She hated that she did that. Whenever it came back to Oliver she was at a loss for words. It was ridiculous. When she was alive he didn't give her a second glance and yet he still had the ability to make her stutter. She regained her composure. What would the old Lex say if he saw her stuttering like that.
"We should tell Oliver."
"I think he'd like the surprise," he smirked.
Hours. It takes hours of the scientists probing through her brain and body looking for something. Lex had been pretending to be on his phone the entire time and his ear was starting to hurt. "Sit down, Tess." She had been pacing the entire time. And while she may not have a body to get tired, he was getting dizzy just watching her.
She sighed and sat down next to him, tapping her foot. Was it possible to murder someone's ghost? She leaned forward, staring intently at nothing, her hands clasped in her lap. She froze. He glanced at her, oddly this scared him even more. "What if it doesn't work?"
"On the contrary, what if it does?" She rolled her eyes to glare at him. "I'm serious. What will you do?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment before smirking mischievously. He fought the urge to sigh in relief at the reappearance of her usual demeanor. "Top secret." He chucked leaning back.
His smile was the last thing she saw before everything went black.
A/N: well,you've caught up to me so I might not update as quickly (which means be readying or a wait as I am a horrible updater) and there's a lot on my plate so I'll try to update ass on as possible but I can't promise much of anything.